Alphabet changed its corporate name from Google to Alphabet in October 2015 while remaining a major market-cap leader.
The restructuring separated Google’s core internet businesses from other ventures. Google became Alphabet’s largest subsidiary, while activities such as life sciences and investment projects could operate under the new parent company.
The change did not mean that the familiar Google search engine disappeared. Search, advertising, YouTube, Android, and related products continued under Google. Alphabet became the publicly traded parent company, and its stock retained the historical trading symbols used by Google.
The name Alphabet reflected the company’s broader collection of businesses rather than a single search product. Like other large public companies, its market capitalization moves with its share price and outstanding shares, so its position among the world’s largest companies can change over time.